Out Cold
by We Thought It'd Be Funny
Summary: Minato Arisato is sick, and it's up to SEES to help him recover. However, the question presents itself: does anybody in SEES actually know how to take care of an ill human being?
1. So Comfy

In his defense, it really is.

I do not own Persona 3.

Enjoy.

Sincerely,

-Funny

P.S. Please excuse the awful pun. There really is no excuse.

* * *

Minato Arisato groaned as he sat up, or rather, tried to. As his muscles tensed, he felt every part of his body whine and groan in agony as he slowly elevated himself. Looking out, he saw the furious rain of the typhoon pound on and on against his windows. He winced as he turned his body slowly to face the edge of his bed, his muscles aching, and stood up. He was moving to his dresser from his bed when he began to feel lightheaded. He staggered, and for a minute, he wondered if something was wrong with him.

Then he fell down.

* * *

_Soft. So soft. _He managed to think through the haze in his head, before turning his head slightly so he could breathe more easily. His neck protested, but it died down as he nestled his head against its new rest. He realized that his carpet was extraordinarily soft. He'd have to sleep on the floor more often.

He heard a noise, and realized that somebody was knocking on his door. He grunted an affirmation, but the person must not have heard.

"Yo, Minato-san!" Oh. Junpei.

"Hey, you up yet? It's like, noon. You gonna stay in bed all day? Not like you're missing anything, but…" He trailed off waiting for a reply.

_Grunt._

That was the most of a reply the dozing teen could manage.

"…Minato-san?" The voice was laced with concern now. Maybe he didn't hear him.

_Grunt!_

"Minato!" He heard the doorknob jiggling frantically, and he was pounding at the door. "Say something!"

"Uuuuuuuuugh…" Minato let out a deep moan of pain as he tried to push himself off the floor. His entire body felt like it was made out of pure lead. The hammering stopped, and Junpei spoke again.

"Uuh… You okay, dude? C'mon, man. Open the door."

"Don't wanna." His voice was weak, and his throat felt like he was trying to swallow a cactus.

"Wha…? Why?"

"The floor is too comfy."

There was a silence on the other end of the door, and then Junpei started talking again.

"Minato… Please open the door."

"Uff… M'kay…" His muscles aflame, he pushed himself off the ground and staggered towards the door. He fumbled with the locks, and pulled open the door. Junpei staggered back at their leader's appearance.

There were deep, dark bags under his bloodshot eyes, and sweat kept his blue-black bangs plastered against his face. His every movement was jerky, like it hurt him to move.

Their leader was sick.

"H-hey man… C'mon, you shouldn't be moving. Let's get you back to bed."

"Mmmph… Noooo… The floor is so comfy…"

"…Uhh... right.."

Half-carrying Minato, Junpei moved him across the room to the twin bed in the corner. Groaning, Minato crawled into the bed and under the covers, mumbling something about the floor.

"G'night Junpei…"

"Err. Night."

He stared at him for a bit, until Minato's snores bagman to fill the room.

Junpei sighed. Looks like he wasn't invincible after all. And that would mean he'd have to rest.

Junpei froze, wondering how he'd break this news to Aigis.

* * *

And so, Sir Minato Arisato is down for the count.

See you next chapter, if I can figure out how to work that.

Review, please.

-Funny


	2. Fortune's Diagnosis, The Priestess' Cure

Another update! I must have figured out how to do chapters!

My word, I never thought I'd be doing this so early on in my fan fiction career!

Review responses!

-Yuuji Narukami- Thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying this!

-Guest- That always struck me as odd too. I mean, SEES is supposed to be a tight-knit group, right?

-Twin Judge of Gemini- My apologies, but I don't feel like uploading anything romance related at the moment. Maybe later on, in other stories, when I get more comfortable with my writing.

Felicia- I hope you enjoy the rest of it, then!

I do not own Persona 3.

Enjoy.

Sincerely,

-Funny

P.S.- I apologize if I made any errors with the formalities.

P.P.S.-I'll try to keep updates frequent, but no promises. I like to have a solid idea of what the next chapter will be about before I post the preceding one.

* * *

"Aches and pains, you say?"

"Yes, Keisuke-senpai."

"Slight fever?"

"Yes, senpai."

"Achy?"

"Yes."

The voice on the other end of the line hummed thoughtfully, before electing to speak again.

"Yes. All those symptoms seem to point to a cold..."

"Is there anything we can do?"

"There is no real cure for a cold, but you can treat the symptoms. If you have any cough syrup or decongestants, I'm sure he'll want to take them. Make sure he stays hydrated, too. Don't worry. The whole thing should blow over in a few days."

"Okay, senpai. Thank you."

"Oh, it's no problem. He's my friend too, you know. Take care, Fuuka-san."

"I will. Thank you, senpai."

* * *

Fuuka Yamagishi sighed and flipped the cell phone closed, and stared at the rain outside. She had already checked the cupboards, and asked everyone in the dorm. They didn't have anything that could treat his symptoms, and anybody who left to get anything would just end up the same way as Minato. Slowly, she walked into the open foyer, where everyone was waiting for the news.

"So, what'd he say?" Yukari piped up, not wanting to wait for even a second.

"Senpai said it's just a cold. It should only last a few days, at most. He said we might be able to make him more comfortable if we had some medicine, but…" She trailed off, knowing that she didn't need to explain the situation to them.

"We don't have anything around for a cold?" Ken asked from his seat on the sofa.

Fuuka shook her head. "Not even a cough drop." she said miserably.

Everybody sighed at the news that there was nothing they could do for their leader. After a quick bout of moping, everybody just headed back to their rooms, an air of defeat permeating the dorm.

* * *

Fuuka closed her laptop and sighed, for the fourteenth time today.

And yes, she was counting.

She let her chin rest on her hands as she leaned forward, thinking deeply, wishing there was something she could do for her friend...

She thought long and hard, about home remedies for a cold. She heard echinacea did something for a cold, but she didn't know if they had any, of if you could even "have" echinacea.

No, there was something else. Something well known. It was on the tip of her... _ tongue_.

She suddenly jolted upright and let a smile spread across her face.

* * *

"Minato-kun?"

Fuuka rapped her knuckles lightly against the door. It was unlocked, of course, in case they needed to check up on him, but it was still good to be polite.

"Come on in, Fuuka-san." Fuuka winced at how feeble he sounded, like he did a few rounds of karaoke at Mandragora. Which he was, in fact, prone to doing. She knew it was the sore throat that did that, but it still hurt a touch to see her friend in this state.

Gently, she opened the door to look at her friend. His glass of water (now empty) was on a small bedside table, and he was just now sitting himself up.

"Did I wake you up?" Fuuka asked, sincerely hoping that she hadn't.

"No, it's alright, I woke up about ten minutes ago." Then he noticed what Fuuka was holding in her hands. A small bowl with a hot pad under it, steam gently drifting up from the contents.

"What's that?"

"Huh?…Oh!" Fuuka walked towards him, and offered him the bowl, and a spoon.

"I made you some chicken noodle soup. I read that it can help a cold, so I made some for you."

Both of Minato's eyebrows went up. "I didn't know you could cook, Fuuka."

She blushed and stared at the floor. "Y-yes. I-I'm not very good, though."

"I'm sure it will taste fine." He said with a hint of a smile. He grasped the spoon with some difficulty, and lifted a spoonful of steaming soup from the bowl.

Blowing on it slightly, he put the spoon in his mouth.

Immediately, he could tell something was a touch wrong with the texture. The soup was a tad bit on the salty side, which was all well and good, but something tasted… sweet. He sloshed it around in his mouth a bit, wondering what it was. He swallowed it, and decided to ask.

"What went in the soup?"

Fuuka fidgeted. She screwed up. She knew it.

"I-it isn't bad, or anything, but I was just wondering." Minato stammered, realizing his mistake.

"I-I made the broth myself and put the noodles in, after softening them. Then I put the bits of chicken in… but we didn't have any vegetables, so I had to use a few fruits."

…Fruits.

_Fruits._

"…I wasn't supposed to do that, was I?" Fuuka mumbled, her eyes not leaving the floor. Minato gave a small guilty twitch. What should he do? He struggled in silence for a second, then found the words.

"If you want the truth, then no, _but_," he added, watching Fuuka carefully, "it's still completely edible, and it actually tastes pretty good. You need to give yourself a bit more credit, Fuuka-san."

Fuuka blushed at his light praise, and shuffled around a bit as Minato continued to eat his soup quietly, only pausing to stir it a bit and blow on it.

He reached for his empty glass, out of habit, and frowned slightly.

"O-Oh! H-here, let me fill that up for you…" She took the glass and moved over to the small sink in the corner and turned the knob labeled "cold". After the cup was filled, she walked back to her smiling friend. She gave him the glass, which he took several large gulps out of.

He kept eating his soup for a long time, then handed the empty bowl back to Fuuka.

"Thank you, Fuuka."

She smiled. She went up here to help Minato get better, and here she was, getting reassurances from him. Then again, that was the man that Minato was.

"You're welcome, Minato-san."

* * *

I'm tearing up…

Please review.

Sincerely,

-Funny


	3. The Lover's Quest

And now!

Reviewer Responses! Yay!

-Guest- He LIVES!

-Hades378- Yeah... For some reason I just don't like to make myself to write anything long. It feels forced that way. On the bright side, I can churn these out like nobody's business. On the downside, it seems to leave everybody wanting more. If it helps, just think of it as a collection of One-shots. But, I might try to work on story length later.

-Jack Hargreave- Why, thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy this story.

I do not own Persona 3.

Sincerely,

-Funny

P.S.- Omake chapters. What do you guys think? Should I do it?

P.P.S.- 500 views! Thank you all for your continued support!

* * *

"You are completely crazy."

Yukari sighed, grasping the door's bronze handle, and ignored Akihiko. Though the nagging voice in her brain (which sounded oddly like Mitsuru, now that she thought about it) told her that Akihiko was right, and that this was, in fact, a completely idiotic thing to do, she had to do it. It was one of those rare moments where she was willing to forsake her own health for the sake of her team, or more specifically, Minato.

How had Junpei put it? "Out of Character?"

Regardless, any man could see that Yukari would not be denied, and only a fool would dare to stop her.

So, of course, the local fool had to try and stop her.

"C'mon, Yuka-tan. Look at that rain! It's coming down in buckets!" Junpei said, in an admittedly concerned tone of voice. "With that stuff goin' down, You're just gonna be the next one sick!"

"Then I picked a very convenient time for it, Stupei." Yukari snipped, heading off Junpei's argument before it started. "Besides. Minato wasn't dressed for the weather. I am."

Akihiko looked her over and admitted she had a point. She was wearing a sleek, black, waterproof trenchcoat that extended to just below her knees, with a matching, detachable cowl to protect her hair and face. With it, she wore shining black rain boots that went up to her knees, encasing her legs perfectly. In her left hand, she held a strong, black umbrella that would, when unfurled, bloom outward and become a meter-wide fabric shield. He looked again. It was a solid defense, with no skin exposed.

"Well…" Junpei paused, trying to think of something that might discourage Yukari in her foolish ambitions. He thought for a while, before he looked at her again.

"Is any place even going to be open in this weather?"

Yukari's grip on the door handle slacked as she considered the possibility. She wasn't sure that any place would be open, as she saw precious few people daring to venture out in the rain and wind. She set her mouth in a line and realized she had to do this. There was no telling how long the storm would last, and the last time Junpei looked in on Minato, he looked absolutely miserable. His every movement hurt him, and he was going through tissues by the boxful. She had to do something.

And she was going to.

Ignoring Akihiko's protests, she pushed the door open, and started running.

"Yuka-tan!" Junpei shot out of his seat, concerned for his friend out in the rain. Akihiko elected to stare on in exasperation.

"Ain't much we can do." Akihiko sighed, and plopped down in his usual chair. "You know her. Once she works up the courage, there's no stopping her."

Junpei bit his lip and sat down, returning weak amounts of attention to his PSP. He knew his senpai was right, and, if the "ghost story" debacle was any indication, she was far too stubborn to get sick.

Even so, he couldn't help but flick his eyes upward every minute or so, to see if his friend would come bursting through the door again.

* * *

After tugging on the fifthteenth doorknob, the beginnings of panic began to set in for Yukari Takeba. She was confident in her preparations to go outside, which were, actually, holding up excellently, but everything that looked remotely like a pharmacy was closed with the doors and windows boarded, discouraging every visitor from trying to enter.

"There has to be something. I did not haul my butt out here just to come back empty-handed."

She continued to growl as she scanned the lower levels. She had long since given up on a pharmacy, so she decided to look for someone who could point her in the right direction. Or better yet, give her some cough syrup. Her eyes landed on a lonely little store nestled beneath the spiral staircase to the upper levels, and saw light through a crack in the hastily-constructed boarding.

Sighing at the thought of warmth and a roof, she went over and tested the doorknob. Unlocked.

She opened the door, and stepped inside quickly.

Yukari felt warm. Warmer than she ever remembered feeling in her life. Sighing gratefully, she threw back the cowl on her coat and let water slide down in rivulets, waiting until her coat was at least semi-dry to step off the black doormat.

"Well, look here! Welcome to Bookworms, young lady!"

Yukari spun around to face a rather old man amidst what appeared to be the largest collection of books that she had ever laid eyes on. He had on thick, black framed glasses, and he wore a thick sweater.

"Name's Bunkichi. Take your time looking around, Miss…?"

Yukari started, remembering her manners. She bowed slightly and told him her name. Bunkichi hummed at the sound of it, then, a few seconds later, his expression cleared.

"Ah, you're one of Minato-chan's friends, aren't you? Well, don't just hang around the doorway, come on in! Make yourself at home!" Bunkichi said, with a smile spreading around his wrinkled face.

Yukari was shocked at this. She knew Minato had some odd tastes when it came to friends, but this had to take the cake.

"You know Minato?"

Bunkichi's smile grew wider. "Of course! He comes in here all the time. Always helping me and my wife out, bless his heart." He continued to beam at the girl. "Now, what can I do for a friend of Minato-chan?"

Yukari frowned as she looked at the old man. She bounced her left boot off the mat before speaking again.

"Minato-san is sick. I left to try and find some medicine for him, but every place that could sell something is all boarded up." Bunkichi gasped in slight shock, the grin falling from his face. Yukari fidgeted, and started to say something when Bunkichi cut her off.

"Wait here." He mumbled in a rather calm tone of voice. He disappeared into the back for a few minutes, then returned with a plastic bag in his hands.

"For Minato-chan." He said, his smile returning. She stared into the bag and gasped audibly. Cough drops, cough syrup, decongestants, nasal spray, pain relievers, and hot pads. Everything you could possibly ever need to treat a cold was there. For a moment, Yukari was speechless. But when she looked up at the smiling old man, she found the words.

"Thank you so much! Now we can help him!"

Bunkichi waved off the praise. "Forget about it. Just get that medicine to Minato-chan, y'hear?"

"Yes! Thank you!"

Beaming, she whirled around, threw her hood back up, and dashed off into the awful weather. Bunkichi watched her dart down the street from the crack in the store's boarding, and chuckled.

"Well, it looks like Minato-chan finally found himself a nice girlfriend after all!"

Thankfully, neither Yukari or Minato heard that last snippet.

* * *

Yukari threw open the doors, and felt her stomach drop several notches when she saw Mitsuru standing a few meters away, an unreadable expression on her face.

"Ah… S-senpai, I-"

Mitsuru held up a hand to stop her, and Yukari immediately shut her mouth. Mitsuru looked at the bag, and suddenly smiled.

"Why, Takeba, you really should exercise more caution in the kitchen from now on."

She gave a soft laugh at Yukari's shocked expression, then walked away. Taking it as a "you're off the hook", she rushed up to Minato's room.

* * *

Yukari watched as Minato threw back the azure liquid and grimaced. She smiled, feeling better now that Minato had actually taken some medicine.

"How's it taste?"

"Like every taste bud in my mouth just died."

In spite of him glaring daggers at the measuring cup, she had to admit that she felt a weight off of her shoulders. She took the cup from him, letting him be to take the other pills she had laid out for him. She washed out the cup with hot water and soap, and set it down next to the cough syrup bottle.

"Where'd you even get all this, anyway?"

She turned to face him. "Your friend Bunkichi."

Minato smiled. "Yeah. That sounds like something… he'd do…" Minato let a loud yawn escape his mouth as the sleep aid in the cough syrup began to take effect. He laid down on the bed, dragging the covers over himself.

"Remind me to… to thank him later…" he yawned again as he felt sleep coming over him.

She smiled as she crept out of the room, leaving Minato to his slumber.

"Sweet dreams." she murmured as the door shut with a gentle click.

* * *

I'm tearing up again.

Please Review.

Sincerely,

-Funny.


	4. Omake! The Best Medicine?

Reviews? Time for responses, then.

Jack Hargreave- Well, little too late to back out now. I've made my bed, and I'll have to lie in it. For the second question, one you've all probably been asking yourselves, I plan to use all the feasible social links. Like, the ones that could possibly interact with him. So, sorry, but Hidetoshi, Chihiro, and the like probably aren't going to make an appearance in this tale. Apologies, but I can't work 'em in there and have it make sense.

yami-yuka-tan- I am delighted that you would choose this fan fiction then. We hope you continue to enjoy this tale.

I am a horrible person for putting Minato through this.

Seriously.

Sincerely,

-Funny

P.S. WOOOOOO! 1000 views!

* * *

Minato sighed as he stared at the ceiling.

Boredom again.

He glared outside at the window and stared at the rain hammering against it.

Stupid sickness. Stupid no medicine. Stupid Ikutsuki.

…Wait.

What?

Minato turned to face the chairman, eyes wide in confusion. Tucked under his arm was a small book.

"Why hello, Minato!" he chuckled, putting on a wide grin.

Minato tilted his head in confusion. Why was he here? Now?

"Why are you here, sir?"

Ikutsuki kept on smiling, and let the book hang limp at his side.

"I heard that you were sick, and I decided to come on over to check up on you." He chuckled again. "My driver wasn't happy. He must have thought I was 'parking' mad!" he laughed at his joke. Minato gave a slight spasm of pain, that he was thankfully able to disguise as scratching an itch.

"I… I see." He mumbled.

"Well, truth be told that isn't the only reason I'm here." He said, the smile still on his face. Minato raised his eyebrow. What other reason was there? Ikutsuki sat down on the chair next to Minato's bed, and opened the book.

"I thought I might be able to cheer you up with a few jokes. They do say that laughter is the best medicine, after all!"

Minato's blood froze in his veins as the full weight of his predicament came crashing down on him.

_NO!_

* * *

"Ah, here's a good one. What has ten letters and starts with gas?"

_I DON'T CARE!_

"Automobile!"

_ARRRG!_

"Haha! Why did the farmer bury all his money?"

_SHUT UP!_

"To make his soil rich!"

_WHY!?_

"If fruit comes from a fruit tree, where does chicken come from?"

_LEAVE ALREADY!_

"A poul-tree!"

_OKAY, WHAT!?_

"What do you do if a rhino charges you?"

_STOP IT!_

"Give him your credit card!"

_YOU ARE MAKING THIS UP! NOBODY WOULD AGREE TO PRINT THESE IN A BOOK OF JOKES!_

This near-fatal dance of pun and reaction continued for nearly fifteen minutes, until Ikutsuki packed up and left.

* * *

And so, we learn our lesson for today. Laughter is only the best medicine when it's wielded correctly.

* * *

Again, horrible person.

Please review.

Sincerely,

-Funny.

P.S. These are all Laffy Taffy jokes. They were the first things that came to mind, so I did a Google search.


	5. Justice's Trickery

If we're being completely honest, I'm a little iffy about this chapter.

Review Response time!

DeathChaos25- None of us do.

Jack Hargreave- I'm glad you enjoyed it.

SparkofDemension-...What? I have no idea what that means, dude. What's the problem you see? If it's my update frequency, I'd like to think I'm doing an okay job on that. 'Course, that's only my opinion.

I do not own Persona 4.

Sincerely,

-Funny

P.S.- Some stuff is coming up in the real world, and I might not be able to update as frequently as you've seen thus far. Apologies.

* * *

Minato rolled his neck around, and for the first time in a day, smiled. He moved about with only a slight amount of effort after the combo of hot pads and the pain medicine in the cough syrup, and it was, admittedly, nice to move around without feeling like he was getting stabbed hundreds of times. Deciding it was time to push his luck a bit, he got up and stretched out his compacted muscles, sighing happily as he felt his joints popping, and wincing at the slight twinges of pain that still lingered.

He looked around, and decided he should find something to do. Inside his room, of course. Mitsuru had forbidden him from going outside, something about not wanting to get germs everywhere. Minato shrugged, and kept looking around, his eyes finally landing on the small bookshelf he kept in the corner. He knelt down, and looked around for a suitable companion for the long hours.

"Nope, nope, read it this week, no, nope, he dies at the end… No, no…"

Minato sighed as he stared at the familiar titles. As much as he loved his books, he had already read everything here cover to cover at least twelve times. He glared at the rain and wished he had gone a week ago to pick up some new materials at Bookworms. Going now was certainly out of the question. And as nice as Yukari was for getting him all the medicine that he, or the dorm, could ever want, he highly doubted that she was up for round two. Not to mention Mitsuru would murder them both for it.

He straightened up and decided he could at least turn on the television. There had to be something on.

His finger was reaching for the power button when he heard somebody knocking at the door.

Immediately, Minato went, as quickly and as quietly as he could, back to bed. He didn't know if Mitsuru's instructions meant he couldn't leave his bed, and he decided not to take his chances. He'd never heard what happened to people when Mitsuru got ahold of them, but he noticed the shudder and pale white shade of Akihiko's skin when he had asked him. He straightened the covers, and sat up straight.

"Hey, it's Ken. Can I come in?"

Minato let out a pent up sigh of relief. Ken. He could keep his head on his shoulders after all.

"Sure, come in."

The door opened, and in walked Ken. He had a gigantic book slung under his arm.

He winced, thinking of some… particularly painful memories.

"What's up, Ken?"

Ken smiled at their leader.

"Well, I thought that since you're up and about, you might welcome a bit of new reading material. Here."

Ken held out the thick tome, and Minato gratefully accepted it. Ken hadn't been on the team for a particularly long time, but he had taken a shining to the boy. In a way, he sort of reminded Minato of himself at his age. A kid trying to play at being a grown-up. 'Trying' being the operative word. He _was_ still a kid. He still watched Featherman R, read some kid's mangas, and got all excited over the littlest things.

To be fair, though, that also fit Minato. He just enjoyed the air of quietude that came from being a sullen figure sometimes.

Ken tried to cover up these childish tendencies, but he didn't do a very good job of it. The consequences of not being able to afford cable like the rest of S.E.E.S., really. He had to watch Featherman downstairs, when nobody was around. Or, when he thought nobody was around, at least.

Funny thing was, Ken apparently expected him to laugh. He often wondered what was up with that. If anything, it put a common ground between the two allies, creating a steady, mutual trust.

Oh well.

As Ken took his hands off the book, Minato raised an eyebrow as the book dipped awkwardly in his hands. The weight of the book felt weird It was far less heavy than it should have been, and it made an odd clunking noise when it shifted around.

He opened the book carefully.

Inside, he saw that the book was hollowed out.

And the contents were mind-blowingly epic.

Magical Witch Detective Loveline, volumes one through four.

Ken, while Minato's mouth was open, walked over to his TV and switched it on. Pressing a few buttons, he arrived at the channel he wanted. Five.

In the corner was see-through lettering: FEATHERMAN R ALL-DAY MARATHON.

Ken cleared his throat. "You realize, of course, that this can never leave this room?"

Minato smiled at his friend. "Of course."

Ken turned around, and started to walk away. "Just remember, you're only borrowing them."

Minato grinned like a madman. "Got it."

And with that, Minato got cracking on his reading. Looks like today was going to be an interesting day after all.

Hopefully not as interesting as yesterday.

He shuddered and cracked open volume one.

Maybe he could figure out the culprit before Loveline could.

* * *

I picture Minato as more of a fun guy to be around, once he opens up to you.

Eh. One man's opinion.

Please Review.

-Funny


	6. Omake! The Hermit's Company

Well. It has been a while, hasn't it? But, no worries, I haven't given up here quite just yet.

Reviewer response time!

Miss Hanamura: Wow, thanks! That means a lot, seriously.

I do not own Persona 3.

Sincerely,

-Funny.

P.S.- I've been thinking of uploading a story that follows the events of Persona 3 Portable. What do you guys think?

* * *

It's the dog walker.

It has to be her.

Has to be.

He'd get it right this time.

He would not fail.

He flipped the page.

"DANG IT!" Minato hissed in a minature fit of anger. "It was the pet shop owner! How could I not have seen that? She had all the motive to do it!"

Grumbling, Minato closed Magical Witch Detective Loveline with a dull thunk. He glared, for perhaps the thousandth time at the window, and the sheets of rain slamming against them. He let his head fall back onto his pillow, and stared at the white ceiling. Artificial light was splayed across it, somehow robbing the small room of what little warmth it had, the dark storm clouds outside lending to a dreary atmosphere.

So, to sum it up, not what somebody nursing a cold wants to be staring at for hours on end.

He rolled around, attempting to find a way to be comfortable. He winced at the aches the movement brought- the medicine was wearing off.

"Glorious." He grumbled.

Eventually settling on his left side, he let out a pent-up breath and settled in for a nap. Really, there weren't a whole lot of things to do, other than eat, sleep, drink, and read. He yawned as he began to feel his eyelids droop shut.

Before his eyes were completely shut, however, a flash of blue caught his eye. He reopened his eyes and aligned them up with the source.

The computer.

He hummed to himself, and left the comfort of the covers. He shuddered at the room's lack of warmth, and sat down in the wooden chair, wincing as it seemed dig into the particularly sore areas of his body. He looked at his desktop. The message icon was flashing.

"Ah… Why not?" Minato grinned to himself as he double-clicked on the Innocent Sin icon.

The application started, and he found his avatar standing in the middle of a field, where he last logged out.

Maya: Heyyyaaa, tatsu! :)

Minato smiled and typed a reply.

Tatsuya: Good evening, Maya. How are you today?

Maya: look outsid. that shud giv u sum idea… :(

Tatsuya: I hear that.

Maya: why?

Tatsuya: Ah. Well. I'm sick, you see. A cold, to be exact.

Maya: NOOOOOO!111 tatsu cant be sick!1

Tatsuya: Well, you know how it is. I got caught in the rain with no umbrella, so…

Maya: r u okay!? I'll come w/ meds! mayaaaa to the rescue!

Minato smiled at the screen.

Tatsuya: You don't need to go to that trouble on my behalf. Somebody else already did.

Maya: really!? wow, thank goodness. i did NOT want 2 go out thar…

Tatsuya: I don't blame you. We don't need two sick people, right?

Maya: rite! now get bak 2 bed and get sum sleep! rest!

Minato smiled.

Tatsuya: Okay, okay.

Minato let his fingers hover slightly above the keyboard.

Tatsuya: Hey, Maya? Thanks.

Maya: 0_o wat 4?

Tatsuya: Cheering me up. I really needed it.

Maya: glad i could help! :)

Tatsuya: Goodbye, Maya. I'll talk to you when I'm better.

Maya: bye tatsu! :D

Minato smiled and closed the computer. He walked back to the bed, feeling drowsier by the second. As he yawned and crawled under the covers, the smile was still on his face.

_Thank you, Maya._

He closed his eyes, and finally fell asleep.

* * *

Pardon me. I seem to have something in my eye.

Please review.

Sincerely,

-Funny.


	7. The Presence of Strength

I'm still here. Don't worry.

Time for Reviews!

MKTerra- Me too. It's hilarious, isn't it?

Miss Hanamura- HA! You have fallen into my trap, madam! Now that your heart has been reduced to naught but a puddle of mush, I shall STEAL it! For under this carefree guise of mine lurks the twirly moustache and top hat of a villian! HAHA!

HAHAHAHAHA!

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

...

What were we talking about again?

Oh, right.

I do not own Persona 3.

Sincerely,

-Funny.

* * *

Minato shuffled under his covers, attempting, vainly, to shove off the shores of reality and cast away and off to dreamland. He grumbled as the springs of the standard-issue dorm bed dug into his side, his cold somehow amplifying the pain twofold. It would have been fivefold, had it not been for Yukari though.

However, neither thinking about Yukari's self-sacrificing attitude or the self-assurances that he would buy one of those foam mattress pads changed certain facts. It was the dead of night. The wind and rain were loud and annoying. He couldn't sleep.

And worst of all, he was alone.

He sighed. Whenever it was daytime, there was always some reason, some excuse to check up on him, to keep him company. In the dead of night, it was different. The lights were off, and only the dim glow of the streetlights and the occasional flash of lightning kept his sight an existent and present factor. The only noise in the room was the discordant howl of the ever-present wind.

Worst of all, there was nobody around. No Junpei coming by to lighten the atmosphere. No Mitsuru or Yukari coming by to make sure he had taken his medicine. No Akihiko coming by to make sure he wasn't bored. No Ken to watch TV with. No Aigis to talk to. No Shinjiro or Fuuka, getting him to eat whatever they had cooked up for him.

He growled and tried to shut his eyes again. His eyelids were heavy, but though they remained closed, his mind flared with activity. His imagination ran wild, and he felt his mind's pace, the frantic buzz of his own thoughts seeming to blur into a chaotic clamor.

He sighed and opened his eyes again. Still dark. Of course, that didn't mean much around here, now. The level of outside light never varied. Always the same, thick, dark clouds blocking the warm, familiar light of the sun.

He groaned at everything. He could take the cold, sure. During the day, he could put on a brave face, at least. Then, he had people to talk to.

But at night, he was alone.

_Scratch, scratch!_

Minato jolted upright, his eyelids not so heavy anymore. He stared at the door, where the sound had come from. Suddenly, the doorknob turned slightly, and the wooden door flew open.

To reveal Koromaru.

Minato smiled at the snow-white dog plodding up to the bed.

"Clever boy. Did you get the door all by yourself?"

Koromaru let out a very pleased sounding huff.

"Good boy." He reached out his hand, and scratched Koro behind the ears.

Minato hummed, and looked at the windows, and the rain hammering against them.

"You'd better get going, boy." Minato sighed, sorry to send away his only company. "It's gonna be a long, night, and I wouldn't want to-"

Mid-sentence, Koromaru's muscles tensed, and he bounded up onto the bed. He turned around three times, and laid down next to Minato.

Minato started to protest, when his eyelids started to droop. He could feel something lulling him to sleep, what he had wanted.

In his final, bleary thoughts, he realized what it was. Koromaru. A friend. Somebody who would be there. No matter what.

He yawned, and finally settled in. The springs felt better. The wind wasn't as loud. And his mind had settled along with him.

_Good boy, Koro-chan._

The final thing he was aware of before sleep took him was the warmth of a friend by his side. A deep, soothing warmth, radiating through him.

And with that, he finally found sleep.

* * *

Mitsuru decended down the steps, carefully, knowing the time, and how most of the inhabitants of the second floor would still be fast asleep.

Or at least, one or two of them would be. Akihiko would probably be working out. As per usual.

She sighed, and took a mental note to have a word with him about his sleep schedule.

She kept walking along the balls of her feet, careful not to make a sound. Really, she was beginning to wonder if giving him the room at the end of the hall was such a good ide-

His door was open.

Immediately, Mitsuru accelerated her pace, moving toward the opened door with a new sense of urgency. She didn't know who had opened it, and was concerned for their team leader's safety.

She turned into the doorway, and froze.

There, laying on the bed, was Koromaru, curled up next to Minato, who had a perfectly contented smile on his face.

She sighed in relief and smiled at the scene. The both of them looked…

Peaceful.

She let a quiet chuckle escape her lips as she quietly pulled the door shut.

"Man's best friend indeed."

The door clicked quietly as it shut, disturbing nobody's sleep.

* * *

Stop looking at me like that! I just have something in my eyes, that's all!

Please review.

Sincerely,

-Funny.


	8. The Empress' Curiosity

Here I am again. Not much else to say beyond that.

I'm a touch iffy about this chapter.

And now, REVIEWER RESPONSES!

MKTerra- Koromaru is an awesome dog, yes indeed.

13TheAce- You know it!

Lady Sinistra 23- Yay! Thank you so much! You have no idea- well, actually, you probably have a pretty good idea, being a writer on this site, after all- how happy this makes me! Yay!

SuperNova23- Are you suuuuure about that? *smile*

Serenity Absolute- I know, right?

MadLaughter- 1. I'm glad you enjoyed it! 2. Oh yes. 3. I'm happy that you think so!

Ellen Walker- Thank you so much!

And now, on with the show!

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 3. Also, we here at We Thought It'd be Funny do not recommend drinking cough syrup willy-nilly.

Sincerely,

-Funny.

* * *

Minato groaned at the deep blue liquid and grimaced, before electing to glare at his crimson-haired senpai.

"Glaring at me isn't going to change the fact that you need your medicine, Arisato." Mitsuru hummed, barely managing to conceal a grin at the team leader's childish pouting.

Minato sighed and took a deep breath. Then, his eyes ablaze with determination, he quickly gulped down the azure syrup, then snatched his water bottle off of his bedside table.

Mitsuru shook her head as he began to take large, theatrical gulps of his water.

"Honestly, Arisato…" she sighed, staring at the elected team leader, "It can't possibly taste as bad as you make it out to be."

Minato let out a pent-up breath as he set his water bottle down on the nightstand. He looked up at his senpai with a raised eyebrow.

"Senpai, have you ever HAD cough medicine?"

Mitsuru hummed, then shook her head.

"No, I don't believe so. I've been remarkably healthy all my life. Not one sick day or absence from school." she finished her statement with a noticeable mote of pride and a thin smile on her face.

"Lucky. I got sick all the time when I was a kid. I had to take loads of this garbage." he mumbled, glaring at the small measuring cup, still bearing traces of the dark blue liquid in it.

"Put me off of bubblegum for life…" he grumbled, in a bizarre addendum to his tale.

Mitsuru raised an eyebrow. "Bubblegum?" she echoed.

Minato nodded in a sage-like manner. "Bubblegum. I was given some medicine that supposedly tasted like it when I was just a kid, and… Well, it sure didn't taste like it, that's for sure." he suppressed a shudder as he vividly recalled the taste.

Mitsuru chuckled. Minato just sighed.

"Look it's like this…" Minato grunted as he laid his head back down on the pillow.

"What's your least favorite food?"

Mitsuru squirmed a bit. She had a food she hated, sure. Everybody did. But hers seemed childish. Immature.

It was kind of embarrassing to admit it…

But…

There was something about Minato that told you he could keep a secret. That he wouldn't blab, not even to his closest friends.

And she knew that.

She trusted him.

She looked at him.

"…Peas." She said, mumbling slightly.

Minato's eyes widened slightly, then he nodded.

"I see."

Pondering the new information, Minato decided to continue his metaphor.

"Well then, imagine, if you will, if somebody managed to distill and squeeze a plateful of peas into a single, two tablespoon cup.

Mitsuru shuddered as Minato continued.

"Furthermore, and to make things worse, you know you have to drink it. You know that it is unavoidable and it must be done at some point. So you drink it."

He paused, dramatically.

"And every taste bud in your mouth dies."

He closed his eyes, and yawned.

"I'd better sleep. I need my rest after all."

And with that, he turned on his side, and settled in under his covers.

Mitsuru waited until his breathing became deep, slow, and regular. Asleep.

Almost unconsciously, her eyes traveled to a deep blue bead on the bedside table. A small portion of medicine that had spilled.

Before her exceptional self control could stop her, she dabbed up the blue bead, and stared at it while it clung to her index finger.

With a light shrug, she put the blue bead in her mouth.

…!

She staggered back as the acrid taste burned her tongue, searing a permanent imprint on her memory.

Clapping a hand over her mouth, she dashed off to her room to go for water.

She changed her mind. Minato wasn't childish.

He was sensible.

* * *

And lo, Mitsuru did discover what anybody who has ever tasted cough syrup knows:

It's disgusting.

Seriously.

See you!

Sincerely,

-Funny.


	9. Omake! Too Comfy!

Ugh. Sorry for being late. Aside from being a lazybones in general, it's getting a lot harder to find inspiration for all the SEES members. I have a general idea for what I want to happen, but I don't know exactly how to commit it to paper. Know what I'm saying?

Which is why there's an omake chapter in front of you instead of a real one. Sorry.

All I'm saying is, expect more sporadic updates. I might update a week from now, or it could be a month.

Sorry.

Be patient with me, okay?

Thanks.

And now, responses.

13TheAce- Really? I never noticed. I just thought about it for a bit and thought it would have been hilarious if Mitsuru tried cough syrup.

MKTerra- I'll take your word for it.

Lady Sinistra 23- Aww. You sure know how to make a newbie feel welcome! Thank you.

Vince329- Roger that!

SuperNova23- A sad day, when antifreeze seems more appealing.

(NOTE: Do not drink anitfreeze. Not that I think you all will, but still.)

Ginshi-chan- Huh. You learn something new every day.

Jiggywidit- I know, right? It never tasted like bubblegum!

Miss Hanamura- *kneels down* Are you okay? And no, she's not scarred for life. Just until she finds the nearest sink and/or vending machine.

Lesser Ninja- ...Huh?

JackFrost14- Thank you so much!

bunniesareninjas- Thank you! I'm glad you enjoy it!

On with the show!

Sincerely,

-Funny.

* * *

THUNK!

Mitsuru's eyes moved up to the ceiling, before they settled back down onto her book.

"Iori." She half-sighed, half-grumbled to the video game-playing teen directly across from her.

"My turn again? Geez, are we ever gonna do something about this?" He grumbled, getting up from his seat and turning to the stairs.

As he opened the door to their ill leader's room, he thought, not for the first time, about just sedating him until the cold blew over.

As he expected, Minato was sprawled out on the floor, settling in for another nap.

Junpei growled, a single note of long-suffering.

"Again? Seriously, dude. Get off the floor!" he practically shouted.

Minato cracked an eye open, before picking himself off the ground.

"Spoilsport."

* * *

THUNK!

"Okay. I'm getting tired of getting you up. I brought you medicine. USE IT!"

"No need to shout…"

* * *

THUNK!

"Put me down."

"No."

"How are you doing this, anyway?"

"Because I've lifted heavier sandbags."

* * *

THUNK!

"Minato-san, please get off the floor, and back into bed."

"Only because you asked nicely."

* * *

THUNK!

"Grrrr!"

"Ow! Hey, cut it out! This is my favorite shirt!"

* * *

THUNK!

"If you don't get up now, I'll tell everyone at school that you watch Featherman R."

"…You're mean."

"I try."

* * *

THUNK!

"Minato-san. You will not aid your recovery lying on the floor like that."

"Ugh. Fine."

* * *

THUNK!

"Get off the floor. Now."

"Alright, alright! Sheesh…"

* * *

THUNK!

"Arisato."

"I'M UP I'M UP I'M UP I'M UP I'M UP!"

* * *

Needless to say, everybody at the dorm was hoping for a speedy recovery.

* * *

From beginning to end, it goes: Junpei, Yukari, Akihiko, Fuuka, Koromaru, Ken, Aigis, Shinjiro, and Mitsuru.

Read and Review, please.

Sincerely,

-Funny.


	10. The Friendship of the Magician

Whew. Thought I'd never get finished with this.

Response time.

MKTerra- Glad you liked it!

Urtur- It was kind of funny, wasn't it?

Fan of Fanfics21- Any sane man would listen to Mitsuru.

SuperNova23- Thank you, for the advice and the kind words. Seriously, Thank you!

Ginshi-chan- You don't know the half of it. If cashmere and clouds could have a baby, that floor would be the baby.

bunniesareninjas- I'm glad you enjoyed it!

roughstar333- Already on it.

And now, on with the show!

Sincerely,

-Funny.

* * *

Minato yawned as he rose from a quick afternoon nap, stretching the kinks out of his tightened muscles. With a soft clicking noise, he smacked his lips a few times, getting the "early-morning" taste out of his mouth. He hated that, how his first sensation waking up was the taste of dried sweat-sock.

Instinctually, he began his new early morning routine. He gently scooted out of his bed, so he wouldn't aggravate his aching joints, and headed over to the sink. He turned the faucet to freezing cold, and splashed the frigid water in his face. He shuddered as a chill ran through his body, shocking his senses into the world of the awake. Then, he took a few steps back, and began to move his body through its full range of motion. Today, he was pleased to discover that he could move more without the aches that had accompanied his cold. They were still there, but they acted up a lot less.

_Knock, Knock_.

Minato turned to his unlocked door, wondering who could it could be.

"Come in."

The door creaked on its slightly rusted hinges to reveal a familiar face.

"Junpei! What brings you here?" Minato chuckled, glad to see his old friend since he got him off his absurdly comfortable carpet. He was also happy that Junpei didn't have this cold.

Junpei shot a grin at his friend. "Just thought I'd check up on you. Make sure you aren't going stir crazy. Oh, and your dinner is almost ready."

Minato's eyebrows flew into his hair. "Dinner?"

"Uhh, yeah, dude." Junpei replied, the corners of his mouth settling down, his features transforming from _happy _to _confused_.

Minato threw his eyes around the room for his clock radio. To his dismay, he found it… with the bright blue display dead and colorless.

_Batteries must be dead. Typical._

"What time is it, Junpei? And what day is it for that matter?"

Junpei frowned in thought, thinking about the answer.

"Well, a day has passed since you got sick… And the time…"

Junpei glanced down at the digital watch on his wrist.

"S'bout five o'clock."

"Five o'clock!" Minato gasped, immediately straightening up.

"Yyyyeah." He replied slowly.

Minato looked out the window again, cursing the lack of light and the general gloominess in the air.

"Damn! Have I really lost track of time in here?"

"Looks like it." Junpei replied in his usual nonchalant manner.

Minato's head crashed into the palm of his hand.

"Wonderful. I no longer have a reliable method for checking the time."

Junpei looked out the window and let out a short grunt of acknowledgment.

"Yeah, I know. It looks like this all day. Really dreary."

Junpei looked back at his friend, who was staring out the window with a glare on his face.

Junpei looked at him a while, until a glint of light at the edge of his attention caught his eye.

He grinned when he saw what the light was.

"Hey, Minato! Catch!"

Minato turned in time to snatch a somewhat small object out of the air.

He looked into his palm. In it was the digital watch his friend had been wearing a few moments ago.

He looked back up at his friend and smiled.

"Thanks, man."

"What are friends for?" he replied with his trademark grin. "Just give it back when you feel better."

Minato fiddled with the watch a bit, before it fit snugly on his wrist.

The time was five o'clock exact.

And, as if on cue, his stomach growled.

Minato stared at the doorway that Junpei was standing in.

"…Dinnertime?"

"Dinnertime."

So Junpei left to get his friend's meal from the kitchen.

And once again, all was right.

* * *

Speaking of which, I'm hungry.

Read and Review, please.

Sincerely,

-Funny.


	11. The Moon's Visit

Another chapter? So soon? Sometimes I think I spoil you guys.

Before we begin, it's time for some reviewer responses.

Ginshi-chan- The world is not ready for such technology, unfortunately.

Pr0sniper120- Yep. Only 24 hours. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Fan of Fanfics21- Already covered it. Chapter 2, it think.

MadLaughter- Thank you so much! Keep reading, there's more to come!

SuperNova23- Your local slightly-emo-protagonist-who's-actually-a-very-fun-guy-to-be-around, I suppose? Oh, wait, he's sick...

AkaiArsony- He really is. Come to think of it, I've never had porridge myself. Is it any good?

dudeaga- TMI, dude. Not that I don't appreciate you reviewing, but... Auch. Sorry.

And that's about it, everyone! On with the show!

Sincerely,

-Funny.

* * *

It was happening again.

That awful, horrible feeling.

He wasn't about to throw up, but he almost _wished_ he would. It would be a definite step-up from his current situation.

Was he facing down hordes of Shadows with naught but a toothpick in hand?

No.

Was he looking down the length of a sword that wasn't his, light playing around the edges, sealing his doom, in the hands of an _extremely _agitated redhead?

No.

Was he facing the dreaded book of one-hundred-and-one jokes in the hands of Shuji Ikutsuki?

Thankfully, no.

Did the shower run out of hot water?

No again.

Minato Arisato was bored, once again.

Not surprising, given that he had been bedridden with a cold for a day and a half now. His life had been reduced to little more than medicine, saltine crackers, chicken noodle soup, and toast, with the occasional visit from a friend to take up a few minutes.

He sighed as he drummed his fingers along the edge of his nightstand, his eyes scanning the room for something to do during this time.

His eyes flitted over the room, passing up books and various furniture items in their quest for entertainment.

His eyes finally settled on his solid-oak desk, and a stack of paper right on top of it.

His lips curled into a thin smile.

Minato's brow was furled in absolute concentration as he stared down the length of his room. He squinted a bit as he took in every detail of the situation.

He hummed, seemingly satisfied, as he crumpled up the paper in his hand, and threw it across the room. The ball sailed across the room, and landed neatly in the wastebasket next to the door. Minato let out a short and soft holler of triumph as he balled up another bit of paper and hurled it at the wastebasket again.

Coincidentally, the door a happened to open just as Minato realized his shot was going to be wide, and most likely hit the person in the doorway.

The paper made a dull smack as it hit the person in the doorway.

_Please don't be Mitsuru, please don't be Mitsuru…_

He cracked open an eye to see Shinjiro Arigaki standing in his doorway with a bowl of soup in his hands.

_Crap. Second place._

Shinjiro looked at the ball of paper, and then at the wastebasket. Thankfully, the next words out of his mouth were not "You have five seconds to explain why I'm not strangling you right now" but a simple…

"Bored, huh?" he mumbled, setting the soup (chicken noodle, of course) down on the night stand.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Minato decided it was safe to reply.

"Nothing else to do but _be _bored." Minato sighed, balling up another piece of paper for another attempt.

Shinjiro let out a sort of sympathetic grunt and watched the ball of paper sail into the wastebasket in a perfect shot.

"So, what's going on out there? Haven't heard from you guys in a while." Minato chuckled.

Shinjiro didn't take his eyes off the wastebasket while Minato spoke.

"Weatherman says the typhoon'll die down by tomorrow. You feeling any better?"

Minato hummed as he missed the wastebasket by a few inches.

"Loads. Just have to wait for the fever to die down, and I'm good to go." he said, crumpling up yet another piece of paper.

Shinjiro stared at Minato and raised his eyebrow in the silent question, 'Why are you still in your room, then?'.

"I'm forbidden to leave, remember?" Minato grumbled as he recalled Mitsuru telling him, in no uncertain terms, not to leave his room, or he'd have her to deal with.

Shinjiro sighed. "Figured it was something like that." He looked at Minato's nightstand. The soup was still there, and faint wisps of steam were still trying to touch the ceiling.

"Eat your soup before it gets cold." he mumbled, getting up.

Minato hummed before setting his current paper ball down, and taking the warm bowl in both hands.

Shinjiro stood in the doorway for a few seconds. He paused…

Behind him, he heard clinking metal, and extraordinarily satisfied 'yum!'s.

"Hey."

The clinking stopped.

He looked over his shoulder and stared at the team leader.

"Get well soon. Aigis is driving us up the wall."

Minato chuckled.

"I'll try to move faster."

Shinjiro shut the door without another word.

Minato smiled at the door for a bit, grateful for both the good news that he wouldn't be staring at these gloomy grey skies much longer, and for the momentary company.

And the soup was delicious too.

"Compliments to the chef." he chuckled, and continued to eat the still-warm soup.

* * *

Have fun out there everybody! Be safe!

Read and review, please.

Sincerely,

Funny.


	12. A Dinner for Stars

My word, but I've been gone a while. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I have no excuse save general laziness, schoolwork, and a lot of video games. Is it just me, or are zombies just everywhere in video games nowadays?

But you didn't come here to hear my excuses (for which I apologize). You came here for a story!

But first, review responses.

Miss Hanamura- NEVER!

Fan of Fanfics21- Never thought of it, but I'm not sure about using a review gimmick. It just doesn't seem... me. Also, I'm glad you enjoy this story.

SuperNova23- This is true. And the final question earns a "no". Also, here is a band-aid. *hands you a band-aid*

Ginshi-chan- My apologies, but the world is not yet ready for that kind of advancement in blanket technology.

LMFAO314- A striking possibility, but I just don't think it would work. Sorry, one man's opinion.

AkaiArsony- Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much. I imagine that Shinjiro's cooking is somewhere on the level of a master chef. So yeah.

Well, here it is! Sorry to make you all wait!

Enjoy!

I do not own Persona 3.

Sincerely,

-Funny.

* * *

Minato groaned as he felt a rather familiar sensation tickle his throat. An awful, sort of liquid-like ripple traveling up his throat. He grimaced in a sort of grim anticipation as he felt the ripple reach the back of his throat.

He sat up and gave a little half-sigh, preparing.

Then he belched. It was somewhat audible, and if any of the women of the dormitory were around, each and every one of them would have flinched in disgust at the sound- except perhaps Aigis- which utterly fails every descriptive word ever recorded in the dictionary.

"Excuse me." he groaned miserably, flopping back onto the mattress, wincing slightly.

"Note to self. Buy foam mattress pad." he grumbled. Needless to say, he hadn't been in a pleasant mood. The sun was beginning to peek through the solemn gray clouds every now and again, and his own body was beginning to show signs of improvement. The aches and pains, once so severe, had dulled to momentary annoyances that only flared during extreme motion. His headache had receded, and his cough had all but vanished.

But, when one problem disappears, another appears. This time, in the form of chicken noodle soup.

Not that he wasn't grateful for it, of course- he wasn't a jerk, after all. But one man can only take so much of the same food before it begins to plague him.

In this case, his most recent burping fit.

Chicken noodle soup does not taste any better in a gaseous form, not to be gross about it.

He shrugged. Nothing to do about it but wait. He'd be better soon, and he promised himself a gigantic Wild Duck burger when he finally got out of his bed, or to be more accurate, when the rest of the dorm let him out of here.

"It could be worse.", he mused. "I could have slept for three whole days, with none of my dorm mates attempting to help or aid me in any way. That would have sucked."

Random musings aside, he plucked a book off his bedside table, and flipped open to a random chapter. His eyes had barely begun to register the print, when he heard a rather harsh knocking on his door.

"Come on in, Akihiko." He said, not taking his eyes off the pages. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a familiar shade of red. His guess was right on the money.

"How'd you know it was me?", the boxing champion asked.

Minato grinned. "You hit the door like a punching bag."

Akihiko shrugged. "Bad habit." he moved forward, an odd crinkling sound accompanying his slightest motion, which did not escape Minato's notice.

"What's that sound?" he asked.

Akihiko grinned and held up the bag for Minato to see. It was translucent and yellow, but what grabbed Minato's attention was the condensation forming around the mouth of the bag, and the mouthwatering scent of cooked beef filling the room.

_Beef!_ Minato thought excitedly. He had had chicken so often, he had almost forgotten what other foods tasted like.

"I thought you'd be getting hungry, so I managed to convince Mitsuru to get you something. The typhoon's dying down, so some of the stores were open. This is only a grocery store bowl, though. Is that oka-"

He didn't get any further as the bag was now mysteriously out of his hands and on Minato's lap.

"Eager, aren't you?" he chuckled.

"Extraordinarily. Chicken noodle is all well and good, but a beef bowl…" he let the sentence hang, knowing the boxer would understand.

And understand he did. After fishing around his jacket pocket, he produced a pair of disposable chopsticks and tossed them to Minato. He caught them and thanked Akihiko.

He surged off the praise. "But remember," he added, "you owe me big for this."

"I do. How about a Hagakure run when I'm out? My treat!"

Akihiko smiled. "I'll hod you to that."

Without any further stalling, Minato dug into his beef bowl with alarming speed and ferocity. He was done before Akihiko knew it.

Dabbing the corners of his mouth with a napkin, he yawned loudly and felt his eyelids start to droop. Taking the hint, Akihiko started for the door.

Before he reached the door, however, a familiar voice said a drawn-out "thank you" through the yawn.

Akihiko allowed himself a final chuckle.

"You're welcome."

* * *

And now we have only a few chapters until this tale reaches its end.

Please review.

Sincerely,

-Funny.


	13. Aeon's Care

I have GOT to stop doing this to you guys! It's been a month! Yikes!

On that note, review responses.

SuperNova23- I do!? WOO! Time to be lazy!

...

I just tried to play Persona 3 Portable and Mitsuru told me to get back to work.

Urtur- *return thumbs up*

Ginshi-chan- Yes he does.

Miss Hanamura- I'm being a little ambiguous here, eh? Well, this ought to clear things up.

Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4 happen on day one of the typhoon. Chapters 5, 6, and 7 happen on day two, and chapters 8, 10, 11, 12, and 13 (current) happen on the third day (though technically chapter 13 happens when the typhoon ends).

Chapter 9 was not an isolated incident.

Hope that was helpful! Glad you like reading this!

Smallbell- Oh, I fully intend to!

Thedarknesswithin96- I don't know. Ken's cool, but... I dunno. Sorry.

l3largus- Thank you for the compliment! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

LMFAO314- Ah, me too, man. Me too.

Thank you all so much for reviewing. It really means a lot to me, and I really am glad that you're all taking the time to review.

Thank you.

I do not own Persona 3.

Sincerely,

-Funny.

* * *

Aigis stared blankly ahead in her room as she watched the digital clock on her wall tick away the seconds. She stared at the subdued emerald numerals tick every second to two o'clock away. As she stared, she felt something in her systems. A quick diagnostic revealed that she was feeling tense. Immediately, she ran several calming impulses through her mind. If she was tense, there was every possibility that her mission could fail.

And failure was unacceptable.

She stared at the clock, not exhibiting any signs of movement, or wanting to move. She was just staring at the clock, calm as could be.

01:59:50 A.M.

Unconsciously, she began to tick away the seconds in the form of a countdown.

Ten.

Nine.

Eight.

Seven.

Six.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

02:00:00 A.M.

Suddenly, like a shark striking from the water, Aigis rose, her metallic joints giving off a faint, near-inaudible whirr as she straightened to her full height. Not wasting time, she gently pulled her door open, the well-oiled hinges not making a sound. She felt the corners of her mouth twitch at the seamless execution of her plan. She stepped out into the third floor hall, and stared for a little while, listening. She heard the regular breathing of three people. The female members of S.E.E.S. were all asleep.

"Good." she whispered to herself, airing her thoughts quietly. She silenced herself after that. No need to wake anybody.

Quickly and quietly, she began to cross the room, careful to avoid putting enough pressure on the floors to make them creak. She softly and quietly monitored the soft sounds of sleeping, careful for any changes. Assured of her stealth, she carefully began to descend the spiral staircase down to the second floor of the dormitory, being careful- the building was new, but the stairs were well traveled, and often creaked loudly, ruining any attempt at stealth.

Luckily, Aigis made this trip before: she knew the spots to avoid.

She silently began to make her way down the second floor hall, listening intently for any signs of stirring from her teammates' rooms. Her peg-like feet touched the floor with the gentleness of a falling feather, as she used the orange glow cast by the streetlights as a guide. When she set her feet in that pool of orange light, she turned. She looked down at the knob of their leader's door, and stared blankly at the knob, which was cast in a soft orange light.

Partially the reason she chose this time. Even for someone like her, fumbling in the dark was no fun.

Silently, she crouched, going to one knee and retrieving a small clip she had in her hair. She focused on it for a moment, bending the metal into the needed shape, and delicately inserting it into the lock. She began to work the lock, and smiled when she felt it turn.

Then, she heard something behind her.

Her mind processed the sound in a millisecond: the latch of the door behind her. Immediately, she sprang out of the light, and crouched in the shadows. She watched as Junpei, half asleep, wandered out of his room and walk to the stairs. When he disappeared from sight, she walked over to the door and quickly unlocked it, and stepped in his room.

"Evasion successful." she breathed, feeling herself calm down slightly. Immediately, she looked over to the small bed in the corner of the room. He was facing her, with his eyes closed, and his face untroubled.

She felt a smile touch her features as her sensors began to take readings.

"Temperature is ninety-eight point six degrees. Other scans show no abnormalities." she said out-loud, in a whisper. She kept smiling, and moved closer to him. She crouched down, and stared at his face for a bit.

She smiled, and absentmindedly, her hand reached up to his face and began to play with a lock of blue-black hair. She stared on, and felt the minutes turn to hours. With some alarm, she realized that the sun was rising, and the sky was beginning to change from it's typical ink-black to a light pink.

She stared at the window and felt an odd sadness tug at her heart. She began to rise, and was walking to leave when she saw his face again.

Young.

Untroubled.

_Healthy_.

She paused, a hand on the doorknob.

After a few seconds of deliberation, she walked away from the doorknob and stared quietly at his face for a bit.

"Just five more minutes." she promised herself.

* * *

Have a wonderful day, all of you.

Sincerely,

-Funny.


	14. Feeling Good!

...I'm sorry.

I'm just... so sorry.

I'm just a lazybones, and school has been kicking me around like a soccer ball.

But enough about that.

Review Response time.

Aniki120- You sure about that?

13TheAce- Thanks!

SuperNova23- That sounds dangerous.

Ginshi-chan- Darn right!

Sacchin- I'm so happy that you enjoy the story! But, sad to say, this is the last chapter. Sorry.

Miss Hanamura- Thank you very much. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

On with the show!... Though I'm pretty iffy about this chapter.

I do not own Persona 3.

Sincerely,

-Funny.

* * *

Minato allowed his eyes to slowly drift open after a night of refreshing and relaxing sleep. He shut them almost as quickly as streams of pure, bright sunlight burned his eyes in what felt like ages. Slowly and deliberately, he got up, blinking to adjust to the sudden light like he had seen it for the first time in ages, moving towards the window. Staring outside, he saw that the street outside had been turned into a field of puddles, reflecting the world around him. Still blinking at the sudden light, he stared at the middle of the window, fumbling around for the latches on the window. He eventually managed to unlock the window, and wasted no time in throwing it open.

He closed his eyes as he felt fresh air seep into his lungs. Admittedly, the whole street smelled like a swamp from all the rain, but the air was cool and refreshing, and he felt himself breathe freely again.

"Feeling better?" A voice from behind him spoke up.

Minato turned around to find Junpei standing a few feet away from him, a smile on his face, and a small electronic thermometer in his hand. Wordlessly, Minato smiled and placed the thermometer in his mouth, and stood at the window, enjoying the breeze.

"Feeling better?" he asked, the smile growing. Minato nodded in reply, not wanting to mess up the thermometer.

Junpei laughed a bit, and Minato let a wry laugh slip around the thermometer. Almost as soon as he did that, the thermometer beeped, and Minato looked down.

98.6 degrees Fahrenheit.

Perfectly healthy.

Minato cheered, leaping up in excitement.

"I thought Ken was the kid around here." he chuckled at their leader's overt, childish displays of enthusiasm.

"Let me have my moment of stupidity." Minato said with all the dignity he could muster hopping around the room. Junpei shook his head and began to walk out the door, wanting to get back to doing nothing as quickly as possible.

Minato smiled, and looked out the window, staring at the golden sunlight that had broken through the dark gloom of the storm clouds.

Looking out the window, he realized that he had a lot of help, staying sane until this day. His friends' aid helped him immensely, from Yukari's quest and Aigis's care, he had much to be thankful for.

"My life is awesome." He said, grinning, as he headed over to his dresser, ready to face the world again.

All thanks to them.

"Thank you, everyone."

* * *

Kind of a weak way to end, but I couldn't figure out another way to do it.

I have much to learn, I suppose.

Well, That's it folks! Out Cold is now a completed story. I thank each and every one of my viewers and reviewers for their patience and guidance!

I'd like to thank my first reviewer- Yuuji Narukami.

I'd like to thank the first follower, Aniki120.

I'd like to thank the first favoriter, Sea of Soul.

And, last but not least, I would like to thank my multiple reviewers: Miss Hanamura, Ginshi-chan, SuperNova23, 13TheAce, Sacchin, Jack Hargreave, MadLaughter, Aniki120, and everyone else I forgot to mention!

Thank you all for sticking with this!

And remember to check out my other works, and my future works! I may be lazy, but I ain't throwing in the towel just yet!

Later!

Sincerely,

-Funny.


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